Our Awesome Vacation, Summarized!

Wow! What a week. I can't even begin to describe how jam packed it was! I'll try though!

Friday we left our house and drove to Georgia for the Miami - Georgia Tech game. Our hotel had an awesome view of Atlanta.

That night we went to a pep rally. We didn't stay long as there were zillions of people there and we were hungry, but we stayed long enough to buy some Miami gear and long enough for two cheerleaders to come say hi to Carter. He is like some sort of a pretty girl magnet. (God help me)

The next morning we stopped at the Marietta Diner. It was delicious! Try the french toast.

Then we went to the aquarium. It was really nice and they had a few animals we've never seen before. Like a Beluga Whale, Whale shark, and other cute assorted sea creatures. We watched a dolphin show too that included some awesome show tunes.

I'll be honest. Being at the aquarium made me hungry. For fish. 

That night we got all bundled up and headed to the Miami/GT game. It was pretty nippy. Carter had on 2 shirts a hoody and a jersey. He was overly warm. 

Oh and he also had on an awesome hat made by his Aunt KK!

The game was pretty fun all things considered. Some really cool guy behind us wouldn't stop cursing. Carter looked under enthused. 

The next day we left for Florida. We were planning to stop and see a waterfall on the way down. Derrick had rented a Camaro and was having lots of fun weaving down the country roads when I realized I was feeling nauseous. Carter was too, so we took a quick break on a quiet and beautiful driveway. 

When the woman who lived at the house (not pictured) got home, she said someone had had the same problem last week and had to stop in her driveway too! We are flat-landers it turns out. 

When we got to the waterfall, Derrick decided we were going to take the challenge to hike to the top of it.

It was beautiful and I really enjoyed getting to share an experience like hiking with Carter and Derrick. This was both of their first ever hikes! I'd say they did pretty great. 

We stopped after our hike at Atlanta Highway Seafood. The shrimp were amazing!

We were headed to see my grandparents in Cape Coral. 

We had a wonderful time seeing family we had not seen in a while. It was especially great to share an experience with Carter that I had loved so much as a kid. Gotta love grandparents! We went to a German coffee shop and I enjoyed my extra large latte. Carter loved grandma's dogs!

After that, it was time for our Make A Wish Trip to begin! Miami, here we come!

This is one of the apartment complexes in Bay Harbor where they filmed the show Dexter. We had to make a pit stop. Unfortunately it's gated so we couldn't go up to the actual room. 

When we got to our hotel, we walked in and everyone said, "Hi Carter!" He looked around in confusion! Everyone wanted to talk to him and greet him. He wanted to meet his first Jamaican ever, since he has become enthralled with the movie Cool Runnings lately. He got to meet a sweet girl that worked at the hotel and was Jamaican. Everyone there was so sweet to him! 

We tried lots of delicious food while we were there! Miami has THE BEST food. 

Fritas.

Mufungo.

Pollo Tropical!

The next day we went to the University to get things started! Carter was greeted at the car by Lindy, Gabriel, and Sebastian. Lindy does marketing and other cool stuff for the football team and was a major part of putting our trip together! She was awesome. Gabriel helped film Carter for the Raising Canes video. 

When we walked in the door, Carter's favorite players were waiting to greet him. Duke Johnson, and Denzel Perryman. They gave him the grand tour!

Carter got to do a little bit of everything that day. He got to tour the facilities, sit in on meetings, get taped up. They made him his own locker in the locker room, gave him his own jersey with his name on the back and his own helmet with a blue visor just like Duke's! They went ALL out for him. He got to meet coach Golden and all the players. They were all so very sweet to him, making him feel like part of the team. 

The days Carter spent with the team leading up to the game were awesome. They let him run a few plays, and were always very encouraging. Playing catch with him, racing with him, bantering back and forth, lifting him up on their shoulders.

We had a little window of free time on Friday so we went down to Key West.

When we went to the game Saturday, Make A Wish sent a limo to pick us up,which Carter loved. When we got there, Carter met the players and walked the "Cane Walk" with them through the fans. We were able to be down on the field with them as they warmed up. Carter was a captain for the game and they let him go on the field for the coin toss. After that we spent some time on the sidelines with the players and Duke gave Carter a ball he scored a touchdown with. 

We were able to hang out in the MVP section with former players, all of whom were extremely nice to Carter and Derrick and I. We also met the president of the university and she treated Carter like her own little one! 

Everyone was so gracious and loving to our family! We can't believe how awesome this trip was for us as a family. This wish has brought Carter so much joy and confidence, and I know it is going to help make the next few months easier!

Go Canes! Go Carter!